Categories

Four out of five New Zealanders think councils should be able to keep their districts GM Free using local plans, according to a Colmar Brunton poll. The poll was commissioned by Pure Hawke’s Bay, a group of premium food producers who are asking councils in the region to secure Hawke’s Bay’s GM free status through […]

Denise Piper, Fairfax NZ News, October 15 2012 Heavyweight genetic engineering companies are expected to object to Whangarei’s plan to ban outdoor use of genetically modified organisms. At one of its final meetings last week, the outgoing Whangarei District Council agreed to publicly notify proposed plan change 131 which prohibits outdoor releases of GMOs. It also […]

Northern Advocate, October 23 2013 The long running campaign to keep Northland GE-free is making headway. The outgoing Whangarei District Council this month agreed to publicly notify a proposed plan change that will prohibit outdoor releases of genetically modified organisms. Plan change 131 also makes GMO field trials a discretionary activity but allows genetically modified medicines […]

New Zealand Herald, September 23 2013 By Isaac Davison Auckland Council and the Government are on a collision course over rules for genetically modified crops after councillors decided to propose stricter rules on GM trials in the region – despite the environment minister warning them not to. Auckland councillors voted to introduce new standards in the […]

Radio New Zealand Local Government New Zealand says communities are asking for stricter controls on genetically-engineered material than those set by central government. Environment Minister Amy Adams has said she will change the law to stop councils from Hawke’s Bay to the Far North setting their own rules to restrict GE crops and animals. Local […]

Dominion Post, Marty Sharpe A group opposed to genetically modified crops is alarmed that, on the verge of Hastings possibly declaring itself GM-free, the environment minister has indicated that the decision is not one to be made by local government. The Pure Hawke’s Bay group was surprised to hear comments by Amy Adams that she intended […]

New Zealand Herald, Isaac Davison Environment Minister Amy Adams has confirmed she will block councils from setting their own rules on genetically modified organisms, saying that central Government’s controls on GM trials and releases were strict enough. The minister was challenged in Parliament yesterday after the Heraldrevealed she was investigating attempts by North Island councils to […]

Hawke’s Bay Today, Lawrence Gullery A Hawke’s Bay food producers group is telling the Government to drop its plans to block councils setting stricter rules on genetically modified organisms (GMO). Environment Minister Amy Adams was worried councils planned to place bans on the release of GM materials into the environment and put limits on outdoor trials […]

New Zealand Herald, Isaac Davison Government appears likely to block attempts by councils to set stricter rules on genetically modified organisms which are designed to increase protection for food-producing regions and vineyards. Environment Minister Amy Adams said she was concerned about councils’ plans to place bans on the release of GM materials into the environment and […]